JPH04183649A - Front light control device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve visibility in a vehicle progress direction, in a control device which controls the illumination direction of a front light in a steering direction, by increasing and correcting the illumination direction of the front light in a winker operation side direction by an illumination direction control means when operation of the winker is detected. CONSTITUTION:While a vehicle is traveling, in a front light control unit 5, output signals of a steering sensor 6, right and left winker switches 7R, 7L, and a vehicle speed sensor 8 are inputted, and it is discriminated whether or not the winker is currently operated. When both the right and left winker switches 7R, 7L are turned off, rotation angles of motors 3R, 3L are controlled and reflectors 2R, 2L are operated so that they may correspond only to a steering angle thetaST to control the illumination direction. On the other hand, either the winker switch 7R, 7L is turned on, control signals of rotation angles of the motors 3R, 3L are computed based on control characteristics of a reflector which is increased and corrected by a prescribed angle in an operating side direction of winkers in basic characteristics, and it is thus possible to improve visibility by ligtening in progress directions on a right turn or left turn side.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a headlamp control device for a vehicle.

(Prior Art) For example, as shown in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-168537, recently, when a vehicle is cornering, the direction of illumination of the headlight is changed to the direction of travel in response to the steering angle of the steering wheel. A headlight control device for a vehicle has been provided which improves visibility in the direction in which the vehicle is traveling by changing the headlight control device.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) By the way, in the vehicle headlamp control device that controls the irradiation direction according to the steering angle of the vehicle as described above, for example, if the steering angle is more than a predetermined angle or the steering angle is turned to the left, Even if you turn off the light, the control device cannot determine whether it is a right turn or left turn at an intersection, or whether it is simply a right or left curve on a single track. Even when turning right or left, which requires large-scale control, the illumination angle only changes according to the steering angle value, so there is a problem that it is difficult to see the direction in which the vehicle is traveling when turning right or turning left.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and includes a steering angle detection means for detecting a steering angle of a steering wheel, and an output of the steering angle detection means. A turn signal for detecting the operating state of the left and right turn signals in a headlamp for a vehicle, comprising an irradiation direction control means for controlling the irradiation direction of the headlamp in the same direction as the steering direction of the steering wheel knob according to the steering direction.
An operation detecting means is provided, and when the winker operation detecting means detects whether the turn signal is activated, the irradiation direction of the headlight by the irradiation direction control means is increased toward the direction toward the turn signal operation side. That is.

(Function) As described above, in the configuration of the vehicle headlight control device of the present invention, first, the basic configuration includes a steering angle detection means for detecting the steering angle of the steering wheel, and the steering angle detection means detects the steering angle. The irradiation direction of the headlight is controlled by the irradiation direction control means in accordance with the steering angle value in the direction of the steering angle change.

In addition to the basic configuration, the present invention further includes a turn signal detection means for detecting the operation of the left and right turn signals, and when the turn signal is activated to indicate a right turn or a left turn, the illumination direction is based on the above-mentioned steering angle value. The change control amount is further corrected to increase in the direction toward the blinker activation side.

(Effects of the Invention) Therefore, according to the vehicle headlight control device of the present invention,
It becomes clear to distinguish between simply driving around a curve and when turning right or left, and the visibility in the direction of travel becomes particularly good when turning right or left.

(Embodiment) FIGS. 1 to 4 show a headlamp control device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 1 shows the overall control system centered on the control unit of the control device, and the symbols in the figure are OL, OL,
The IOR is a pair of left and right front lights (for example, fog lamps) whose irradiation direction can be freely changed and controlled within a predetermined range. The headlamps +OL, ]○R are provided with movable structure reflectors 2L, 2'R behind the light sources IL, IR, respectively, and the reflectors 2(, 2R are rotated by left and right arrows, for example, by rotation of motors 3L, 3R). By driving in the arc direction, the fourth
As shown in the figure, the warpage from the above light sources IL and IR j optical axis ○
'-○ is moved by a predetermined angle in the left-turn direction 0'-L or right-turn direction ○'-R. The tip shaft angle is detected by potentiometers 4L and 4R, respectively. The detected angles are then respectively input to the memory section (RAM) of the atH4 lamp control unit 5 and stored therein.

The headlight control unit 5 is composed of, for example, a microcomputer, and uses the steering angle θS of the vehicle detected by the steering sensor 6, the ON/OFF signals of the left and right blinker switches 7L and 7R, and the vehicle speed sensor 8. The detected vehicle speed value Vkm/h and the like are inputted, and the rotation angle θ8 of the motors 3L and 3R, that is, the reflector angle, is controlled, for example, as shown in the flowchart of FIG.

That is, first, in step S, each part of the control elements such as memory is initialized, and then in steps S, 3.
s 4i: Proceed to the detected value θsT of the current steering wheel angle and the left and right blinker switches 7L.

The ON/OFF status of 7R, motor rotation angle 08, etc. are read in sequence.

Next, the process proceeds to step S, where the left and right turn signal switches and rear L are read in step s3.

Based on the ON and OFF signals of 7R, it is determined whether Winokur is currently operating.

As a result, first, the left and right blinker switch 7L.

All 7R blinkers are OFF - When not working (NO)
Proceeds directly to step S8 and calculates a motor control signal based on the basic reflector control characteristics shown in FIG.
, 3R, and actuates the reflectors 2L and 2R to achieve a controlled state of the irradiation direction corresponding only to the steering angle θSt.

On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step S5 is YES, meaning that at least one of the left and right turn signal switches L and 7R is ON, the process proceeds to step s8, and the operation of the other turn signal switch is ON. The left turn signal is shown as 7, but it is specifically identified whether it is the right turn signal 7R.

Then, depending on the identification result, the process proceeds to Step S, or Step S10, and the basic characteristics shown in FIG. The rotation angle control signals for the motors 3L and 3R are calculated based on the reflector control characteristics shown in FIG. 3(b) or FIG.
to control motors 3L and 3R, and +7 reflector 2L and 2R.
As shown in FIG. 4, the left-turn or right-turn direction of the vehicle is illuminated to improve visibility.

As described above, the configuration of the vehicle headlamp control device according to the embodiment of the present invention first includes its basic configuration and the steering sensor (steering angle detection means) 6 that detects the steering angle θSA of the city steering. According to the steering angle value θSr detected by the steering sensor 6, the motors 3L, 3R1'/7', which are irradiation direction control means,
2 Ri: Yol:) All, IJp light + OL,
The irradiation direction of the IOR is controlled in the direction of the relevant steering angle change.

In addition to the basic configuration, the device according to the embodiment of the present invention is further provided with turn signal switches 7L and 7R (turn signal operation detection means) for detecting the operation of the left and right turn signals, and a left or right turn signal indicating a right or left turn. When the right blinker is activated, the control amount for changing the irradiation direction based on the steering angle value θs1 is further increased toward the blinker activation side.

Therefore, according to the vehicle headlight control device according to the embodiment of the present invention, it becomes clear to distinguish between simply driving around a curve and when turning right or turning left, and the visibility in the direction of travel becomes particularly good when turning right or turning left.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a control system diagram of a vehicle headlamp control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the irradiation direction control operation of the device, and FIGS. (c) is
The reflector control characteristic map used in the control shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 are explanatory diagrams showing the irradiation direction variable operation in the embodiment of the present invention. IL, IR...Light source 2L, 2R...Reflector 31.3R...Motor 4+, 4R...Bote/nokometer 5...
・・Headlight control unit, Toro ・・・Steering sensor 71, . 7)j... Turn signal switch 8
...Vehicle speed sensor applicant Nardec Co., Ltd. and one other agent Patent attorney Rin Ohama, Ni)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A steering angle detection means for detecting the steering angle of the steering wheel;
A headlamp for a vehicle comprising an irradiation direction control means for controlling the irradiation direction of the headlamp in the same direction as the steering direction according to the output of the steering angle detection means, wherein the operating state of the left and right turn signals is controlled. A turn signal operation detection means is provided to detect the turn signal operation, and when the turn signal operation detection means detects the operation of the turn signal, the irradiation direction of the headlight by the irradiation direction control means is increased toward the direction of the turn signal operation side. Characteristic vehicle headlight control device.